Mother-of-three Miss Hilton was left with wounds so horrific her children hid from her and refused to believe she was their mother after the attack in Woody's Bar at 1.15am.

Before and after: Model and care assistant Gemma Hilton, 34, needed a three-hour operation and is now unable to smile properly, gets shooting pains through her head and has a numb left side of her face

The model and care assistant needed a three-hour operation and is now unable to smile properly, gets shooting pains through her head and has a numb left side of her face.

She also suffers from nightmares, anxiety and breathing problems and struggles to leave the house alone.

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The court was shown CCTV footage which showed Watterson drunkenly hugging and kissing Miss Hilton, who was a complete stranger to her, and repeatedly invading her personal space.

After Miss Hilton pushed Watterson away, she retaliated by throwing her glass of wine over the model and dancer before brutally smashing her wine glass into her face.

The court heard how Watterson, who has a seven-year-old daughter, had been unable to persuade friends or family to come drinking with her on the night of the attack and was suffering from negative body image.

Kelly Watterson, 37, (left) viciously assaulted Miss Hilton (right) during a boozy night out in Liverpool in February

But the prosecution told the court how Miss Hilton, who Watterson also hit on the back and pulled to the ground by her hair in the attack, was now afraid to leave home alone after the ordeal.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said: 'After splitting from the father of her three children in 2011 Miss Hilton suffered a serious blow to her self-confidence.

'Her life is for her children and she tries to do everything for them whenever she can.

'She managed to get some work dancing and modelling and buy her own house - she was making progress and that progress repaired her confidence.

'All the progress she made has been totally wiped away due to this incident, which will stay with her for the rest of her life.

'As well as coming to terms with the attack Miss Hilton has had to come to terms with being permanently scarred.

'She is conscious of her scars and feels any woman would feel the same.

50 stitches: Miss Hilton suffers from nightmares, anxiety and breathing problems and struggles to leave the house alone

Scarred: Mother-of-three Miss Hilton was left with wounds so horrific her children hid from her and refused to believe she was their mother after the attack in Woody's Bar (pictured) at 1.15am

'She is a young woman who one day would like to have a relationship but feels her scars may put off any prospective partner.

'Even if the scars are covered she knows they will never be covered completely and they will affect her career dancing and modelling.

'She has suffered sleepless nights and nightmares. She suffers anxiety and breathing problems but tried to hide them from her children because she knows they will be scared.

'When she first came home from hospital her children ran away because they said she looked scary.

'Once she managed to convince them to come over they have not left her alone since.'

Miss Hilton, pictured before the attack, now suffers from low confidence

Miss Hilton underwent a three-hour operation at the maxillofacial unit at Aintree University Hospital after the attack and spent three days in hospital.

The court heard this means liquid embarrassingly drips out of her mouth when she drinks.

Miss Hilton, who is mum to 15-year-old Ella, Shea, 8, and seven-year-old Chloe, has been told she may need further surgery.

Carmel Wilde, defending, said: 'The defendant has shown extreme remorse and is trying to organise with the police chaplain to meet up with Miss Hilton to tell her how sorry she is.

'She feels awful about what she has done and thinks she deserves to be punished, but the biggest punishment for this defendant would be missing out on her daughter growing up.'

Sentencing Watterson, Judge Steven Everett said: 'What you did was a terrible thing and it may be a Jekyll and Hyde situation for all I know.

'You can see on the CCTV how you were pestering your victim, how you would not let her go.

'It is quite obvious to me she was patient with you while you were poring over her, invading her space, putting your face in hers.

'You were looking for something and you would not let it go.

'You did not give your daughter any thought while you were whacking this complainant with a glass, and that is something you need to ponder long and hard.

'Your family have shown sympathy and they have asked me to show mercy but mercy is not an appropriate word in this case. I will show justice.'

Speaking after the sentencing Miss Hilton, from Roby, Liverpool, said: 'I am still shocked but I feel so relieved. I am really happy with the result..

'I can't even contemplate meeting Watterson now but maybe in a few months' time.

'It has closed the book and my children and I can finally move on.'

After her attack Miss Hilton launched an appeal for bars and clubs in Liverpool city centre to only use plastic glasses after 12am and her friends and family set up a petition.

After her attack Miss Hilton launched an appeal for bars and clubs in Liverpool city centre to only use plastic glasses after 12am and her friends and family set up a petition

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Kelly Watterson scarred Gemma Hilton for life in an unprovoked bar attack